The Dual Diploma program is a unique opportunity for international students to study at New Paltz and earn two diplomas from two prestigious universities. Participants improve their English and develop important life skills for working in a global society.

Students study in the U.S. and in Turkey, and participate in internships while in Turkey. They are allowed to work for a year in the U.S. after they graduate. Graduates have been awarded various scholarships and fellowships.

The program was awarded the competitive Andrew Heiskell Award from the Institute of International Education (IIE), under the category of International Exchange Partnership, in 2007. The program has also brought former U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey and state Assemblyman Kevin Cahill to campus for high-profile events.

Graduates of this bicultural and bilingual program have an undeniable edge in the job market. The successful completion of the program virtually guarantees that a student will be flexible, adaptable and culturally competent.

More than 90 percent of students finish the program in four years, thanks in large part to personalized attention from advisors. Most alumni return to Turkey, but some stay to earn graduate degrees from universities in the U.S. and Europe, while others work at multinational companies throughout the world.

The program brings more than 100 students from Turkey to New Paltz each year, contributing meaningfully to diversity on campus. The program is successfully marketed to and attracts some of the brightest students in Turkey.